McMorris Rodgers Announces Next Steps for Protecting American Data and National Security from Foreign Adversaries

Washington, D.C. – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) today announced the next steps to protect American data and national security from foreign adversaries. On Thursday, March 7, the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing titled “Legislation to Protect American Data and National Security from Foreign Adversaries.”

During the hearing, the committee will consider two pieces of bipartisan legislation. The first bill, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (H.R. 7521), was introduced by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) earlier today. The second, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act (H.R. 7520), was introduced by Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

Chair Rodgers released the following statement on H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act:

“At our hearing last year with the CEO of TikTok, we saw a company that was repeatedly caught lying about its relationship with ByteDance and the Chinese Communist Party. It confirmed our worst fears—that applications controlled by foreign adversaries, like TikTok, are exploiting and weaponizing American’s data and pose a clear national security threat to the United States. I look forward to holding this hearing to discuss bipartisan legislation that takes decisive action to protect Americans and prevent foreign adversaries, such as China, from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through online applications like TikTok.”

Chair Rodgers also released the following statement on H.R. 7520, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act: 

“Data brokers are harvesting people’s sensitive data, selling or sharing it without their knowledge, and failing to keep it secure. They do this while denying people any say over if and where such personal data is sold and shared, and often without safeguards against foreign adversaries who would use it for nefarious purposes. We look forward to discussing bipartisan legislation to limit how data brokers share people’s sensitive information abroad.”

The full committee legislative hearing will be open to the public and press. It will also be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov.

WHAT: Legislative hearing on bipartisan solutions to protect Americans’ personal data and prevent foreign adversaries, such as China, from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through online applications like TikTok. 

DATE: Thursday, March 7, 2024 

TIME: 10:00 AM ET / 7:00 AM PT

LOCATION: 2322 Rayburn House Office Building 

NOTE: A motion to go into a classified executive session is expected. Should the Committee enter into a classified executive session, a brief recess would follow and a room change would be announced.  

Following the hearing, Chair Rodgers will lead the Energy and Commerce Committee in a markup of these two bills. At the conclusion of the markup, a vote will be taken on whether to advance the legislation to the full House of Representatives for a vote. The markup will be open to the public and press. It will also be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov.

WHAT: A Full Committee Markup of H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act and H.R. 7520, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024.

DATE: Thursday, March 7, 2024 

TIME: 2:00 PM / 11:00 AM PT or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the Full Committee legislative hearing.

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

If you have any questions about the legislation or committee activity this week, please contact Kyle VonEnde at Kyle.VonEnde@mail.house.gov.

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